DriveBar + enhancement

Luther · Post by **Luther** » 2004 May 02, 05:04

I never really used the DriveBar in the old 2x product, but I believe it could be resurrected and made very useful if the bookmarks were displayed underneath the drives, as "folder" icons. This would make the bookmarks easier to use, too - the tooltip for these bookmark folders would be the path of the folder. The folders could be numbered 1 thru N.

Comments?

Post by **nikos** » 2004 May 02, 07:39

bookmarks are greatly revamped already
(beta should be out in a short while)
instead of a drive bar there is this drive drop-down button on the toolbar

Luther · Post by **Luther** » 2004 May 02, 09:27

That sounds good. Will the new bookmarks have tooltips that show what the path is?

Post by **nikos** » 2004 May 02, 15:08

they say so on the statusbar

VaMPiRiC_CRoW · Post by **VaMPiRiC_CRoW** » 2004 May 02, 16:25

Great nikos!!!

jsanta · Post by **jsanta** » 2004 Jul 14, 16:21

nikos wrote:bookmarks are greatly revamped already
(beta should be out in a short while)
instead of a drive bar there is this drive drop-down button on the toolbar

And what about we people missing the original 2xExplorer the original toolbars and layouts?

I think xplorer2 is a great improvement for the program, but it also should include a 2xExplorer like mode. I'm still trying to get used to the new features and sincerely, I still prefer our dead 2xExplorer, at least until xplorer2 has a "downgrade mode" (but improved).

MHO though

JRz · Post by **JRz** » 2004 Jul 14, 16:27

Nobody is stopping you from using 2xExplorer

But when you get a new bike and it doesn't squeak anymore, do you intentionally throw sand in the bearings to get the 'good old feeling' back ??

Post by **nikos** » 2004 Jul 14, 16:41

old habits are hard to break

fgagnon · Post by **fgagnon** » 2004 Jul 14, 16:44

But, JRz, the old bike really doesn't have "sand in the brakes"

True, it is less capable; but the main difference I hear from habitual users is that the UI is rather different, and it would make the transition easier if the basic "ride" felt more familiar.

PS - Even though it was 2x's ratings & performance that led me to x2; I never used 2x that much before switching over to x2, so I didn't have much to "unlearn" -- or I might be beating the "make it like 2x" drum loudly, too.

JRz · Post by **JRz** » 2004 Jul 14, 18:17

fgagnon wrote:But, JRz, the old bike really doesn't have "sand in the brakes"
True, it is less capable; but the main difference I hear from habitual users is that the UI is rather different, and it would make the transition easier if the basic "ride" felt more familiar.
[...]

True, but what people expect is exactly the same UI. No margin for improvement here.
It's a design decision to use a drive icon with drop down list (saving space; using it takes some getting used to I can imagine) and the issue regarding applying layouts to the current window is on the wishlist. So there's hope yet

But, to please jsanta, so he/she will get his/her precious drivebar back, here's what you can do:

- Make bookmarks to all the drives you want in your drive bar (bookmarks to A:\, C:\, etc.)
- Add a toolbar and name it 'Drive Bar' (Customize|Toolbars>Add new...)
- in the dialog add all the new bookmarks to the root folders of your drives to the toolbar (you can include the drive icon too if you like so you can get to all drives not in your bookmark list too)
- enable showing text on the toolbar buttons to show the drive the bookmark is pointing at

and you're done

A nice toolbar showing all your favorite drives, just one click away, like they were in 2X !!

Even further down the road, when customizable icons for toolbar buttons are available, you can change the icon on the toolbar to mimic 2X even more

This is taking advantage of the powerful features of X² and still get what you want. So X² can do more than you thought, or not??

(Fred, is this being more helpful do you think

)

fgagnon · Post by **fgagnon** » 2004 Jul 14, 18:43

There's no question about it: you get the gold star for most constructive response posting today.

(That, & a few Euros will get

at your local tapperij.)

JRz · Post by **JRz** » 2004 Jul 14, 19:57

jsanta · Post by **jsanta** » 2004 Jul 15, 12:56

JRz wrote:
fgagnon wrote:But, JRz, the old bike really doesn't have "sand in the brakes"
True, it is less capable; but the main difference I hear from habitual users is that the UI is rather different, and it would make the transition easier if the basic "ride" felt more familiar.
[...]

I agree with that... it's not that the change makes it harder, I just can't get used to a so inmidiate UI change...

JRz wrote: True, but what people expect is exactly the same UI. No margin for improvement here.
It's a design decision to use a drive icon with drop down list (saving space; using it takes some getting used to I can imagine) and the issue regarding applying layouts to the current window is on the wishlist. So there's hope yet

But, to please jsanta, so he/she will get his/her precious drivebar back, here's what you can do:
[...]

I'm a he

, and already tried that solution, but didn't like it, I still prefer a vertical toolbar. And finally, it's not only the drivebar issue, searching files open an annoying new windows (at least for me, the so called scrap container) and it has this improved feature of double clicking the found file and directly opening it. I like 2xExplorer when a file is found, I double click it and the program takes me to the file instead of directly opening it (this could be a selectable option).

I think I can live with both programs (until the evaluation period expires), anyway for nikos tranquility I'm trying hard getting used used to the all brand new program. ¡Great job! we all know you can make it better

Post by **nikos** » 2004 Jul 15, 13:10

the whole idea with the scrap window is that you can do all your file management straight in there, no need to "load" files in the main window first

if you nevertheless feel nostalgic, there's ctrl+enter/d-click

JRz · Post by **JRz** » 2004 Jul 15, 13:14

The scrap containers are an advanced feature, not found in 2X.

You can do (almost) anything you want to a file in such a scrap container (whether the container is constructed using a search command or otherwise) that you can do in a normal X² pane. So there's no need to go to the file in the pane like in 2X!

If you still want to do that, just hold down the Ctrl key while double clicking the file (or hit Ctrl+Enter). That will take you to the file in a normal X² pane, just like 2X does!! (It takes holding down Ctrl, I know, but scrap containers are that easy to use, I doubt you'll ever really need it!)

Hope this will help you along jsanta!

P.S. Am I in the race for the award today Fred?

[Edit:add]Missed Nikos' post while writing mine

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